Portable polishing machine



F. R. FEENAN PORTABLE POLISHING MACHINE Flled June 12, 1953 May 8, 1934.

INVENTOR flan/r 7 fifi/mre ATTORNEYS Patented May 8, 1934 U lTED STATESATENT 2 Claims.

The present invention pertains to a novel device for obtaining smoothclean surfaces, and more particularly to a portable cleaning, polishing,and bufling machine for treating automobile bodies.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning andpolishing machine wherein an abrasive member is rotatably supported anddriven in a manner whereby the portion of the abrasive member whichcontacts with the surface being treated has a linear path of movement.In this connection the abrasive member is provided in the form of anendless band supported on a pair of rolls, one of which is adapted to bedriven by a flexible shaft and the other of which is adjustablysupported and provided with means for adjusting the same in order thatthe band may be easily removed and replaced, and the rolls spaced adistance apart to provide suificient tension on the band to eliminateslippage.

Another object of thepresent invention is to provide a cleaning andpolishing machine including a pair of spaced ro-lls over'which a band isplaced to be rotated by driving one of the rolls. The rolls are sospaced to hold the band with a straight run extending from one roll tothe other, which straight run may be bent to assume the same shape as asurface with which it is brought into contact. In other words theabrasive supporting band may be flexed to: provide a linear workingmovement relative to a curved surface.

' Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning andpolishing device including a flexible, cushion-like support for anabrasive band, or a polishing band and eliminate possibility of groovingor scratching a surface by uneven application of pressure thereon duringthe process of manually bringing the abrasive band into contact with asurface to be treated while the band is being rotated at a high rate ofspeed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning andpolishing device comprising a rotatable band with a flexible orcushionlike support, and means for supporting and rotating the same sothat it may be easily manipulated in contact with a surface to befinished, and so that the band may be quickly and easily removed andreplaced. 50 With the above and other ends in View, the inventionconsists in matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointedout in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, in which-- Figure 1 is a side elevation with a part of thecasing in cross section;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on of Figure 2;

Fig. e is a cross section taken on the line 4-4' of Figure 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 55' of Figure 3;

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on the line 6-6 v of Figure 3; and 1Fig. '7 is a cross sectional detail. 1

Like characters of reference are employed throughout to designatecorresponding parts.

The numeral 1 indicates the top wall of a casing having-side walls 2 and3 secured thereto, the side wall 3 being provided with a removableportion 4. Adjacent one end of the casing the side wall 2 and theremovable portion 4 of the side wall 3 are provided with slots 5 inwhich a shaft 6 is slidably mounted; The outer ends of the shaft .6receive nuts 7 which may be tightened into contact with the side wallsin order to prevent, sliding movement of the shaft in the slots.Rotatably journalled on the shaft 6 is a roll ,8 having side flanges 9.

Adjacent the other end of the casing a shaft 10 is rotatably journalledin the side wall 2 and the removable portion 4 of the side wall 3 andhas one end projecting through the side waL 2 upon which a gear 11 issecured, such as by the pin 12.

A roll 13 is mounted on the shaft 10 to rotate therewith, a key beingdesignated by numeral 1a as an illustration of means for connecting theroll to the shaft. The roll 13 is preferably of a- 99 diametercorresponding to the diameter of the roll 8, and is formed withperipheral side flanges 15.

Means is provided for rotating the gear 11 in order to rotate the shaft10 and roll 13, and the means includes a transverse shaft 16 suitablyjournalled in the casing and having a spur gear 17 secured thereonexternally of the casing and meshing with the gear 11. Also secured onthe shaft 16 is a bevel gear 18 that meshes with a 00 the line 3*3'.bevel gear 19 that is rotatably journalled in a loops 24 through whichopposite ends of the slidable shaft 6 extend. Pinions 25 are mounted ona transverse shaft 26 to mesh with the racks 23. On one end of the shaft26 is received a lock nut 2'7 which is adapted to be screwed intoengagement with the side wall 2 in order to prevent rotation of theshaft 26, and on the other end of the shaft is formed or secured a head28 suitable for receiving a wrench for applying manual pressure theretoin a manner torotate the same.

Received on the two rolls 8 and 13 is a power transmission belt 29 whichmay be of any conventional or well known construction such as leather,rubber, or canvas. Mounted on the belt is a band 30 formed of materialsuch as sponge rubber, and surrounding the band 30 is a band 31 of suchmaterial as soft felt. The sponge rubber band 30 and the felt band 31are preferably secured together in the manner illustrated in Fig. 7wherein a thread 32 is imbedded in the felt band so that the run 33 ispositioned beneath the surface of the felt band.

In using the present device the nuts 7 are loosened to permit slidingmovement of the axle 6 in the slots 5 so that the belt 29, sponge rubberband 30, and the felt band 31 may be trained over the two rolls 8 and 13in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. The head 28 on the shaft 26 is thenrotated by manual pressure to rotate the pinions 25 and thus move therack 23 to slide the shaft 6 in the grooves 5 in a direction to carrythe roll 8 away from the roll 13 and place tension on the belt 29. Uponrotation of the flexible drive member 21 the bevel gears 19 and 18 arerotated, the

' latter causing rotation of the spur gear 1'7 which meshes with androtates the gear 11. Rotation of the gear 11 results in rotation of theroll 13 and results in movement of the belt 29 around the two rolls 8and 13. The sponge rubber band 30 and the felt band 31 are carried bythe belt 29 and by holding the felt band 31 in contact with a surfacethe latter may be polished or buffed.

It is well known in the art that polishing and buifing members aretreated in some cases by coating the same with glue and applyingabrasive thereto in the form of a powder. It will be understood that thepresent invention contemplates such treatment of the felt band if thework to be performed requires use of an abrasive. It is alsocontemplated that emery cloth bands may be mounted on the felt band 31for certain types of work. It will be observed that the sponge rubberband 30 provides a cushion-like support for the felt band 31 which isflexible so that in the event of an uneven application of pressure thesurface of the work will not become deeply scratched or grooved.Furthermore the cushion-like support for the flexible band permits useof the device on surfaces which are not fiat, such as the curvedportions of an automobile body.

As designated at 34 handles may be attached to the top wall 1 of thecasing by means of lugs 35 and nuts 36 so that by loosening the nuts thehandles may be adjusted by pivotal movement relative to the lugs 35 tosuit the convenience of the operator.

Although a specific embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described, it is to be understood that various changesmay be made in the details of construction within the scope of theappended claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention,and such changes are contemplated.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a casing havingparallel side walls in which longitudinal slots are formed adjacent toone end thereof, a driven roll mounted adjacent to the other of saidcasing with its axis fixed relative thereto, an axle in said casing andhaving its opposite ends extending through said slots in said casing,releasable securing members mounted on the outer ends of said axle andadapted to frictionally engage said side walls to prevent movement ofsaid axle within said slots, a roll rotatably mounted on said axle, anendless member trained over said rolls, and manually operable means insaid casing for moving said axle relative to said slots when saidsecuring members are released, said last named means comprising rackmembers having ends attached to said axle, a shaft extendingtransversely through said casing, gears on said shaft meshing with saidracks, and means for manually rotating said shaft.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing havingparallel side walls in which longitudinal slots are formed adjacent toone end thereof, a driven roll mounted adjacent to the other end of saidcasing, with its axis fixed relative thereto, an axle in said casing andhav-.

ing its opposite ends screwthreaded and extending through said slots,nuts received on said screw-threaded ends and adapted to frictionallyengage said walls to prevent movement of said axle in said slots, aroller rotatably mounted on said axle, an endless member trained oversaid rolls, manually operable means carried by said casing for movingsaid axle relative to said slots when said nuts are released, said lastnamed means comprising rack members having ends attached to said axle, ashaft extending transversely through said casing, gears on said shaftmeshing with said racks, and means for manually r0- tating said shaft.

' FRANK R. FEENAN.

